Game device



P' 4- w. A. TAYLOR 1,972,803

GAME DEVICE Filed June 17, 1933 7X4. T0 9207 3rwentqr Bu r I attorneys,

Patented Sept. 4, 1934 UNITED STATES GAME DEVICE William A. Taylor, Detroit, Mich. Application June 17, 1933, Serial No. 676,383

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a game device whereby a ball can be used by a desired number of players and tossed from one to the other by means of the device, an object being to catch the ball in the device and thereafter toss it therefrom without touching it with the hands.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a game device which is simple and attractive in appearance, can be expertly manipulated, and constitutes an eflicient means for propelling the ball.

A still further object is to combine with the device a means whereby through proper handling, the ball therein can be brought to position for most advantageous delivery.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of constructions and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing the forms of the invention have been shown.

In said drawing:

Figure l is a plan view of the device constituting the present invention.

Figure 2 is a section on line 22, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a View partly in side elevation and partly in section showing a modified structure.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates the cup-like body of the device which can be made of rubber, papier mach, wood, or any other desired material. Its bottom or closed end is rounded so as to have somewhat the appearance of an inverted dome while the upper or open end thereof is substantially oval. The wall of the body curves gradually from the bottom to the open top and said top is slightly flared except at the narrow end where it intersects the long diameter of the oval shaped top. At this point the edge portion is inturned to form a lip 2 which slightly overhangs a portion of the interior of the device.

The wall of the body can be cut away to lighten it and also to lend an ornamental value. Openings thus provided have been indicated at 3. Arranged upon the inner surface of the body 1 so as to extend across these openings is a band 4 of net material which can be fabric or metal, the same being attached at its upper edge to the body by stitches 5 and also suitably tied to the body between the openings as shown at 6.

preferred Formed in the inner surface of the body below the center of the lip 2 is a socket 7. This socket has a shallow channel 8 leading thereto forming a point therebelow and a stop rib 9 arches over the top of the socket the side walls of the channel.

One or more additional sockets 10 similar to the sockets '7 and each having a guide channel 11 leading thereto are formed at other desired points in the inner surface of the body. In the structure illustrated one of these sockets 10 is located in each side portion of the body 1, the same being equidistant from the socket '7.

An opening 12 is provided in the center of the bottom of body 1 and receives the screw-threaded end 13 of a handle 14. This handle can be of wood, rubber or other ,material suitably reinforced if necessary. The handle has a shoulder 15 adapted to abut against the bottom of'body 1. A collar 16 is screwed onto or otherwise detachably joined to the handle 14 below shoulder 15. This collar is located at the center of a guard preferably formed of a disc 17 of netting carried by a frame 18.

An opening 19 canbe formed in the free end of handle 14 whereby the device can be easily suspended when not in use mean he carried by a finger inserted thereinto. :1

In playing a game with the device herein described two or more players are each provided with one of the devices. There is also used a ball B of any desired material of such diameter that a portion thereof can become seated in any one of the sockets '7 or 10.

After a ball has been placed in the body 1 of the device held by one of the players it is thrown therefrom by a swinging movement of the device and is adapted to be caught in the device held by another player. To expedite the delivery of the ball and enable the player to exercise better control thereof than would otherwise be possible the sockets 7 and 10 with the shallow channels leading to them have been provided. The player, by tilting the device to the proper angle can cause the ball to roll into one of the channels and thence to the socket at theend thereof. Thus when the device is brought back over the shoulder of the player or to any other suitable position and then swung forwardly the ball will be retained more satisfactorily up to the time of delivery than would be possible without the use of these sockets. Thus the player is better able to control the direction of movement of the ball and its velocity. It is always desirable to deliver the ball from socket 10 if possible because it is 10- and merges at its ends into 69 cated at the greatest distance from the handle, due to the peculiar configuration of the body. However the ball can be delivered but under less control from either of the side sockets 10. If delivered at points between the sockets it becomes extremely difficult to control the direction of flight of the ball and its tendency under those conditions would be to ascend more abruptly and thus be more readily caught by the opposing player, which is to be'avoided if possible.

It will be noted that the bottom portion of the body 1 is rounded so that the ball cannot become wedged therein. On the contrary when the ball is received it can be caused to strike a glancing blow upon the inner surface of the body and roll therealong across the bottom until brought to a.

full stop whereupon it can be caused to roll to a selected socket whereby it can-be subsequently propelled in a desired direction as heretofore explained.

1 Byv employing the guard 17- 18 the player can protect himself from balls which miss the body 1 but come close to the outer surface thereof As before stated the device can be made of dilferent materials. For example, and as shown in Figure 3 the body 20 has been shown formed of a stiif netting or screen fabricwhich, however, is of thesame general contour as the body 1. Instead of providing sockets, however, openings 21 suitablyreinforced at their edges can be provided in the wall of the body, the diameter of each opening being such as to prevent the ball from passing therethrough. 'In this modified structure a handle 22and a guard 23 both correspondingwith those heretofore described can be employed.

What is claimed is:

1. A game deviceflincluding a cup-like body having a rounded bottom surface for rolling contact by a ball, and a handle extending outwardly from thebottom of the body, there beinga socket in the inner surface of the wall of the body anda channel leading to'the socket from a point therebelow. y i

I 2. A game device including a cup-like body having an open top, there being a socket in the inner surface of the body adjacent to the open top thereof and a guide channel extending from the socket toward the bottom of the body, and a handle extending from the bottom of the body, the inner surface of the bottom of the body being rounded for free rolling contact by a ball in the body.

3. A game device including a cup-like body having an open top, there being a socket in the inner surface of the body adjacent to the open top thereof and a guide channel extending from the socket toward the bottom of the body, a handle extending from the bottom of the body, the inner surface of the bottom of the body being rounded for free rolling contact by a ball in the body, and a substantially rigid disk-like guard screen carried by the handle and extending therearound close to the body.

4. A game device including a cup-like body for holding a ball to be tossed therefrom, said body having a handle extending from the bottom thereof and being provided with an elongated open top, theinner surface of the bottom of the body being roundedfor freerolling contact by a ball'in the body, there being an overhanging lip formed by a portion of the top edge of the body, a ball receiving socket close to and below the lip, and a channel for guiding the ball to the socket@ 5. A game device including a cup-like body, a handle extending from thebottom thereof, a guard screen carried by the handle, there being separate sockets in the inner surface of the body near the open top thereof, but at different distances from the handle; and a guide channel leading to each socket from a point therebelow.

6. A ball-tossing game device including a cuplike body having ball receiving recesses one of which occupies a more advantageous-position thanthe others for .tossing a ball when seated therein,'the inner surface of the bottom of the body being rounded for free rolling'contact by a ball in the body, and a handle extending from the body for use in manipulating said body to'roll a ball upon the bottom of the body and into one of the recesses preparatory to tossing the ball, one of the recesses being nearer the handle than the other.

' WILLIAM A. TAYLOR. 

